What's For Dessert? - Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

I'm backtracking a little here by blogging past recipes, but this particular dessert was requested multiple times after its initial debut.  Obviously this pumpkin dessert is most popular during the fall, especially for those of you cheesecake lovers who still enjoy the cozy and nostalgic taste of pumpkin. Plus, at the age of 3 months, Piper really enjoyed experiencing all of the smooshy textures as I'm sure your infant will!  Enjoy!

~Ingredients~

2 (8 oz) packages of softened cream cheese
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (9 inch) graham cracker crust
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of cloves
pinch of nutmeg
whipped cream

~Instructions~

1.  Preheat oven to 325.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until it's smooth. Blend in the eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of this batter and spread into the graham cracker crust and set aside.
3.  Let your child squish the pumpkin in his/her hands and taste it. Be ready for MESSYHANDS!

4.  Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter that's already in the crust.  Letting your baby stir is always fun....

 5.  Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center is done (test with a knife...if it comes out clean, it's done).

 6.  Refrigerate for 3 hours and top with whipped cream.

.....BEAUTIFUL!......

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Foodie Baby: Grilled BBQ Chicken with Rice

Today for lunch, the adults ate the most mouthwatering charcoal-grilled BBQ chicken with baked beans and grilled zucchini on the side. I know Piper loves smoky flavored things because of a baby food version of an adult dish that I appetizingly call "Cowboy Slop" (which I will be posting soon), so I figured this would be a hit as well. I used some Basmati rice that was leftover from a previous dinner to add a little manganese and iron. Piper ended up loving the taste, but had a little issue with the texture of the rice which doesn't puree quite as smoothly as the meat.  It would be the only thing left on her tongue, and after a few inquisitive looks up at me as if I can swallow it for her, she figured it out. Enjoy, little foodie babies!

~Ingredients~

8 oz. chicken breast (one large one)
pepper
BBQ sauce of your choice
charcoal grill
1/2 cup of cooked rice
water

~Instructions~
1.  Sprinkle the  8 oz chicken breast with fresh ground cracked pepper

 2.  Grill on first side for 5 minutes.  Baste with BBQ sauce and flip so that breast is sauce-side down. Grill another 5 minutes.

 3.  Baste the other side again and grill for another 5 minutes.

 4.  Repeat and grill another 5 minutes.

5.  The chicken is grilled for a total of 20 minutes at this point and should have a nice crispy-red BBQ sauce layer.
6.   Remove from grill and cut into pieces.  Place in a food processor.
7.  Add 1/2 cup of cooked rice.
8.  Add a little extra BBQ sauce (your discretion, depending on your baby's taste)

 9.  Add water until you have reached the desired consistency for your baby.  The younger, the more smooth it should be. The older ones can handle their chunks pretty well. Maybe teeth has something to do with it?

10.  It should make 4 jars of smoky delicious baby food.

 11.  Your child should look something like this after the first taste.  ENJOY!

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